Parliament set to vote on key cabinet posts

Iranian parliamentarians are expected to end a heated debate on President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's cabinet picks with a vote of confidence later on Wednesday. Ahmadinejad has been facing stiff opposition in the mostly conservative body.

AFP - Iran's parliamentary debate on President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's proposed cabinet entered the fourth straight day on Wednesday with key ministerial nominees set to outline their plans to MPs.

The debate began on Sunday and is expected to end with a vote of confidence later Wednesday on each of the 21 cabinet nominees.

So far 13 nominees have presented their four-year plans to lawmakers, with several of them witnessing stiff opposition from conservative MPs.

On Wednesday, among those set to address the parliament are the proposed oil and interior ministers.

Ahmadinejad, who is under fire from his own hardline camp over several political decisions he has taken since his disputed re-election, needs to secure more than 50 percent of votes for each nominee for that person to be confirmed.

Over the past three days, several conservative MPs have lashed out at his picks, saying they were inexperienced and "obedient" to him.

The embattled president has chosen three women in his cabinet, and if any one of them gets approved by MPs, it would be the first time that the Islamic republic would have a female cabinet minister.